215 [ 174 J 
but the view obtained was not verggeratil ing. The fog. had partially 
cleared off from below when we reached the summit; and in the south- 
west corner of a basin communicating with that in which we had encamp- 
ed, we saw a lofty column of smoke, 16 miles distant, indicating the presence 
of hot springs. .There, also, appeared to be the outlet of those draining 
channels of the country ; and, as such places afforded always more or less 
grass, I determined to steer in thatdirection, The ridge we hafascendad 
a 
appeared to be composed of fragments of white granite. We saw here 
traces of sheep and antelope. 
Entering the neighboring valley, and crossing the bed of another lake, 
after a hard day’s travel over ground of yielding mud and sand, we reached 
the springs, where we found an abundance of grass, which, though only 
tolerably good, made this place, with reference to the past, a refreshing and 
agreeable spot. 
This is the most extraordinary locality of hot springs we had met durin ng 
the journey. The basin of the largest one has a circumference of seve 
hundred feet ; but there is at one extremity a circular space of about fifteen 
feet in diameter, entirely occupied by the boiling water. It boils at ir- y 
regular intervals, and with much noise. The water is clear, and the 
deep; a pole about uxtete feet long was easily immersed in the centre, 
but we had no means of forming a good idea of the depth. It wap ourround: 
ed on the margin with a border of green grass, and near the shore the tem- 
perature of the water was 206°. We had no means of ascertaining that 
‘of the centre, where the heat was greatest; but, b ispersing the ‘water 
with a pole, the temperature at the margin was increased to 208°, and in 
the centre it was doubtless higher. By driving the pole towards the bot- 
tom, the water was made to boil up with increased force and noise. There 
are several other interesting places, where water and smoke or gas escape, 
but as ba e¥hi ds a ng description. The water is Re ee with © 
co but notso much soas to render it unfit for general cooki 
ahead, having the line of route explored some fifteen or twenty mi 
in n advance, and only to leave a present encampment when the succeeding 
. was know 
tion of the neighboring valleys, and d found in a ravine in the bordering _ 
mountains a wed camping place, where was water in springs, and a 
— quantity tity of grass for a night. Overshading the springs were some 
rees of the sweet cottonwood, which, after a long interval of sheen 
aa again w th pleasure regarding them as harbingers of a better country- 
To us, they wer oe r oad 
broad and plainly marked 
we. 
bas am si de it pleasant to drin . 
In the immedi e neighborhood, the valley bottom is et alist ex- 
ia ¢ 
n. 
ing with me Godey and Carson, I made to-day a thorough explora- a 
